| Festivals are some of the biggest users of wristbands in Australia. Knowing the basic of buying wristbands for a festival can set you up for success. From the small school festival to the Big Day Out, festivals use wristbands to identify paying patrons and prevent unauthorised access to an event or area. The wristband options available to a festival are overwhelming, and for a newcomer to the industry it can be very difficult to determine what type of wristbands provides the greatest suitability to each particular event For while one wristband may be perfect for one event, it is completely wrong for another. Here’s the rundown on what you need to know when buying wristbands for a festival. So, how can you determine the best wristband for your festival? Key to this question is the need to understand your own requirements. With regards wristbands this comes down to a) security – how much of a threat are touts at your event, b) budget – what has been allocated to this portion of the event, as this may determine whether you can customise your wristbands or not, c) the type of event itself, especially the length of time it will run and d) how many categories of patrons / ticket types you have. Here are a few scenario’s with wristband recommendations: Scenario 1: Single day event, low budget You really need to be looking at Tyvek Wristbands. Tyvek wristbands are a basic wristband but very secure, non transferrable and available in dozens of colours and patterns. They are available plain or custom printed. Scenario 2: Single day event, higher budget, high concerns for security With security being more of a concern, you may want to look at plastic wristbands, especially from the holographic and sparkle collections. These are very unique and can still be custom printed. They close with a single use plastic lock, and are very secure and hard to replicate. Scenario 3: Multiday event For any multiday event, it is recommended that either plastic wristbands or woven wristbands are utilised. Woven wristbands are used by the majority of large multiday festivals in Australia – they are very secure (varying degrees of security are available, and relate to the slide lock or toggle used). Scenario 4: I have many different types of tickets/patrons This is a common occurrence for multiday festivals. Single day tickets, multi day tickets, adult tickets, child tickets, VIP tickets – all patrons need to be quickly and easily identified at an event. The key here is to clearly outline your requirements. AAC will then propose a range of wristbands that will meet your requirements, and this will probably draw from all wristband types available. There is nothing wrong with using Tyvek for single day tickets, plastic for multiday, full colour wristbands for VIP’s, fluro woven bands for underage patrons and standard woven wristbands for season ticket holders. As long as you create ‘wristband guides’ for your gate team, this is the easy to manage. Every event is unique, and every need needs to think long and hard about their wristband requirements, especially when buying wristbands for a festival. To speed up the process, call AAC at 1300 797 478 or email us, and we’ll work with you to determine the best solution. |
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